The 2018 MLB regular season is approaching the 40-game mark, which means we’re almost a quarter of the way through the campaign. The New York Yankees have surged to catch Boston in a tie atop the American League East and become one of the MLB Betting favorites to win it all. In the National League East, the Washington Nationals are working hard to catch to upstart teams in the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, beset by the injury bug, are already eight games out in the National League West. For sports betting choices, though, the starting pitcher for each game is a key factor in determining which team to wager on. Let’s look at some pitchers who you should think twice before backing with your bets.
His WHIP so far this year is 1.67, which is a recipe for longer innings — and more earned runs permitted. Even if the Reds start to turn some things around, I’d wait for Castillo to have two or three solid starts in a row before I start picking the Reds as a winner when he’s on the hill.
MLB Betting Advice: Pitchers to Avoid after One Month of Action
Clayton Kershaw put on DL by Dodgers with left biceps tendinitis. https://t.co/ZMpU3Us3pD pic.twitter.com/nM5eCqmEaS
— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) 6 de mayo de 2018
Sonny Gray (N.Y. Yankees) 2-2, 6.00 ERA
Things have started to settle down a bit for the former Oakland ace, as his last two starts have seen him go six innings and permit a pair of earned runs in each, as the Yankees fell to Houston, 2-1, on April 30 and then beat Cleveland, 5-2, on May 5. The problem hasn’t really been control, as he hasn’t walked more than five batters in any game, and he has only permitted three home runs on the season. In his two victories this season, the Yankees have had to score 13 combined runs. As well as the Yankees are hitting, you want a little more domination out of your starter.Jaime Garcia (Toronto Blue Jays) 2-2, 5.40 ERA
Jaime Garcia did have a decent start his last time out against Seattle, permitting just one earned run over five innings, but before that things have been rocky. He still doesn’t have much stamina, as he hasn’t made it into the seventh inning all season and has finished six innings just one time. In his three starts prior to the win over Seattle, he had permitted 13 earned runs on 17 hits, including four home runs. He has a hard time with control, burning through a lot of pitches, although sometimes he’s just getting hit hard, as in the six earned runs he permitted in just 3 ⅓ innings against Cleveland on May 3.James Shields (Chicago White Sox) 1-3, 5.14 ERA
Yes, this is the James Shields who pitched with the dominant Tampa Bay Rays and then went to the World Series with Kansas City. He signed one big contract with San Diego and then got shipped to Chicago because of his disappointing performance (he is due $21 million this season, $11 million of it from the Padres), which is why you should avoid him when it comes to your MLB Betting action. His team hasn’t won a game he started since April 11. Since then, in his last four starts, he has permitted 15 earned runs in 24 combined innings. He isn’t giving up a lot of long balls (just two on the season), but he leaves pitches up high in the zone, and opposing batters make him pay.Luis Castillo (Cincinnati Reds) 2-4, 6.47 ERA
Cincinnati hasn’t gotten to an 11-27 start to the season because of one bad starting pitcher. However, Castillo was seen as an emerging star, so his performance so far has been a real disappointment. He has only lasted into the seventh inning once this season, and he has given up eight long balls so far this year.
His WHIP so far this year is 1.67, which is a recipe for longer innings — and more earned runs permitted. Even if the Reds start to turn some things around, I’d wait for Castillo to have two or three solid starts in a row before I start picking the Reds as a winner when he’s on the hill.
